It’s hard to imagine, but someday, we may be going camping on Mars. Though that’s not actually going to happen anytime soon, a team of aerospace and textile engineering students from North Carolina State University are working on a Mars-friendly tent for astronauts to stay in when they visit the fourth planet from the Sun.

There are many factors that inhibit astronauts from camping out on Mars, such as radiation and meteors, but the group of students think that advanced textile materials are the key to a habitable living space. NASA currently uses solid materials which are large and heavy – two qualities that are not conducive to spaceflight when every pound counts due to fuel restrictions. The materials, like aluminum, fiberglass, and carbon fiber, are a little tough to fit on a spaceship too.

The students created a 1,900-square-foot inflatable tent which is radiation-proof by layering radiation-shield materials like Demron. Demron is currently used in protective safety suits. In fact, the workers cleaning up Japan’s nuclearFukishima plant are currently using them. The tent, which can house four to six astronauts, also uses a gold-metalicized film to reflect the UV rays. According to the university, it’s airtight material is made from a “polyurethane substrate” which keeps the air in, allowing for an atmosphere that the astronauts can breathe.

One of the biggest issues while staying on the planet is where the astronauts will get their water. There’s currently something called a Sabatier reactor that’s used to make water while in space. It involves the reaction of CO2 and hydrogen with nickel at super high temperatures and pressure that produces water and methane. Also, it’s incredibly easy to bring a lot of hydrogen on the ship because it’s so light in weight. The reactors currently in use are long, heavy tubes, however, the team redesigned the Sabatier reactor to be easier to take on future missions to Mars.

Though astronauts now have a comfortable tent to stay in while exploring Mars, most analysts say that the earliest manned mission to the planet will be somewhere in the 2030s. The team will present their Mars tent at the Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts Academic Linkage competition, a NASA-sponsored event held on June 6 through June 8.

With a tent designed to protect against radiation and physical attack, we wonder if it could be marketed towards consumers for something in the realm of a bomb shelter. We’re not saying it could replace the physical structure of a bomb shelter, but it’s something to think about in terms of radiation protection during a disaster.